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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23367718">Like Parents, Like Son</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalDude1/pseuds/FullmetalDude1'>FullmetalDude1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(The fix it was behind the scenes we're just skipping to the fun stuff), Crying, Dancing and Singing, Family Reunions, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gentle Kissing, Getting to Know Each Other, Happy Ending, Healing, Homelessness, Hugs, Implied/Referenced Biphobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Running Away, Meet the Family, Mild Language, Multi, Post-Canon Fix-It, Referenced Characters, Teasing, Teen Romance, Trans Fujiki Yuusaku, Trans Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:07:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23367718</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalDude1/pseuds/FullmetalDude1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After finally pulling Ai back together and having a brief reunion with his friends in Den City, Yusaku decided to go back to the beginning. Back to his home town. Back to his parents, who he ran away from several years ago now. </p><p>But as he introduced his parents to Ai, Yusaku soon learns he's more like them than he ever truly realized.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku, Fujiki Yuusaku's Parents</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Like Parents, Like Son</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay so, a while ago a friend and I talked about Yusaku's parents and about the idea that Yusaku ran away from them, not that they were dead and he was an orphan. I ended up rolling with it and made a fic where he went back home to fix things with them and got very emotional in the process. </p><p>Also, of course Yusaku is trans in this fic, because I make the rules.</p><p>Reblog it if you liked it! https://loganelfreeces.tumblr.com/post/613879688107081728/like-parents-like-son-fullmetaldude1</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Yusaku was nervous as he stood in front of the door, stalling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they moved? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they didn’t recognise him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they didn’t want to see him again? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if they hated him and thought he was dead?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hand on his shoulder draws him out of his head and back into the world of the living. Yusaku turns around to see Ai smiling at him, hand gently squeezing his shoulder, soothing his nerves and fears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai will always love him. Yusaku knows this all too well and however things go, he’ll always have Ai to help him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Yusaku turns around, takes in a deep breath and knocks on the door, grabbing his bag straps tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes exactly 15 seconds for the door to open and standing on the other side is his mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko Fujiki, 47 years old, has her pink hair in the bun he’d always adored when he was little and green eyes just like his own stare back at him, slowly widening as they take him in. She’s wearing her old blue sweater and purple skirt, her go-to-outfit for a day of reading to herself or to Yusaku and his Dad. She’s gotten plumper than Yusaku remembers her being, her cheeks round like a squirrel's and when he once only reached her shoulder, he now stands at an equal height to her, seeing eye to eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku swallows. All the words have dried up on his tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko’s eyes dart up, down, back, forth, up, down, back, forth again and again, as if she’s paralysed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May-may?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku barely manages to tear his eyes away from his mother’s in time to see his father walk into the doorway behind his mother, staring at Yusaku as if he were a ghost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi Fujiki, 50 years old, has his blue hair in a ponytail at the base of his head, Yusaku used to play with and pale blue eyes frozen like ice. There’s a bit of blue fuzz growing around his face, a sign his old shaving habits hadn’t died since he always shaves on a Monday and it’s Wednesday now. He’s in his old black jacket, yellow shirt and green jeans for working in the yard and his father has definitely lost weight, because Yusaku remembers being five and teasing his father for having a big belly, that he’s completely lost now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku swallows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yu-Yusaku?” Keishi whispers, as if he’s in a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears suddenly appear in the corners of his eyes and a sob breaks out of his throat. “Dad. Mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, love.” Mieko opens her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku takes the old cue to dive in for a hug, hiding his face in her shoulder, feeling her arms wrap around him while Keishi comes from behind to hug the both of them, making a Yusaku sandwich.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I, I had to get away.” Yusaku sobs, feeling years of fear and hard decisions weighing him down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembers how his parents helped him with his coming out and moved him from his old school when the bullying was getting too much. He remembers how it started up again, but he never told them because Mieko was in the hospital and Keishi was taking every shift he could to pay for her hospital bills. He remembers how he felt weighed down by everything and just needed some space to heal-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, we-” Mieko sobs and kisses his forehead. “Your father and I ran away from our parents too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re so sorry we didn’t notice it was getting too much.” Keishi sniffles into Yusaku’s hair. “We failed you and I’m so sorry we did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku wasn’t sure what he could say. They hadn’t failed him by prioritizing his mother’s health over Yusaku’s social life. They hadn’t failed him when he started to be bullied. They hadn’t failed him when the Lost Incident occurred. They’d never failed him. He’d failed them; as a daughter, as a son. But in a way, he’s glad he did. Because he ran away, he ended up in Den City. He started to finally heal after his path to revenge had been completed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, I have a lot I need to tell you about.” Yusaku manages to stammer out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko holds him tighter. “We’ll listen to every word.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll believe you, no matter how crazy it sounds.” Keishi kisses Yusaku’s hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku gently pushes at his mother and father and they release him from the hug, giving him the needed space. He dries his eyes with his sleeve and then looks between the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom. Dad. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Yusaku turns around and walks towards Ai. “He’s someone I’ve had my fate intertwined with since the Lost Incident.” Yusaku takes Ai’s hand, who’s nervously smiling. “He’s simultaneously the most annoying person I’ve ever met and the most important person in my life.” Yusaku turns around and squeezes Ai’s hand. “I don’t think I’d have had the courage to come back without him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai awkwardly waves. “Hi. I’m Ai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother and father stare at Ai, stare at their clasped hands and then stare at Yusaku. He tightens his grip on Ai’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi smiles and nods. “Come in then and tell us all about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku nods and Ai gulps.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Soon enough, all four of them are sat in the living room he used to play Duel Monsters in for hours. His parents are sharing the old love seat and Yusaku used to sit between them as they taught him how to read or they’d hold him when his nightmares forced him awake. Ai and Yusaku meanwhile are in the same armchair his mother always uses when she’s reading to herself or just to Yusaku. He remembers how he used to be able to lay flat across the armchair, but now it barely fits himself and Ai. There’s the old coffee table in between them, with the old placemats with wisteria flowers on them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It… started a long time ago. With the Lost Incident.” Yusaku swallows and stares at his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel his parents’ eyes on him, their hearts breaking again as they remember how it hurt him. How he once screamed himself horse from his nightmares and how the dark circles under all their eyes increased as they all slowly became night owls so he wouldn’t be alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I went to Den City, I learned the truth of that incident. A man named Dr. Kiyoshi Kogami wanted to create an A.I with free will.” Yusaku curls his hands into fists. “It worked too. Of the six children involved in the Lost Incident, there was an A.I based on each of them called an Ignis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko gasps suddenly, prompting Yusaku to look her in the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her wide eyes lower slightly. “Is… that SOLtis your Ignis then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku and Ai’s eyes widen and they look at each other sharply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko smiles and tilts her head, but there’s a sad part of it. “I’m right, aren’t I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How could you tell?” Ai turns to blink at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko holds up her hand and a finger. “1) I’m familiar enough with SOLtis to know the choker on your neck is a power button.” She holds up another finger. “2) My son wouldn’t mention the experiment worked if it wasn’t important to the overall story.” She holds up a third finger. “3) If you were simply a robot, he wouldn’t hold your hand that tightly or call you important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku and Ai stare at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi stares at her as if she grew an extra head, then turns to Yusaku and Ai with a smile, shrugging. “And that’s why you got your mother’s brains, not mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko rolls her eyes and reaches out to hold his hand. “Come on now, Keishi, don’t be so hard on yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi shrugs, but turns to Ai. “So, why did this Kogami guy want to create an A.I with free will?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai flips his hair. “So the world would get to know my brilliance of course!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ai.” Yusaku narrows his eyes at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine.” Ai rolls his eyes, then he smirks darkly. “To be the successors to humanity and guide you all through a new golden age where climate change, war and all that junk didn’t hurt you anymore. Unfortunately for the old doctor, he forgot to take into account the bad side of free will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi’s eyes widen. “You mean some of you got all violent and ‘let’s destroy the humans’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku narrows his eyes. “Only because Dr. Kogami attacked them first. There were only six Ignis and they were living peacefully. But Dr. Kogami ran simulations and learned that humanity would attack the Ignis first and then the Ignis would destroy us all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko narrowed her eyes. “That makes no sense. Why would Dr. Kogami attack the Ignis if he knew it would lead to them destroying humanity?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha!” Ai leans back, arms behind his head. “Beats me, Miss Fujiki! I know none of us had plans to do anything really with humanity until he had his 13 year old son and old lab assistants destroy our homeworld!” Ai shrugs. “Makes sense he’d be a terrible father if he was willing to electrocute children though and a mad scientist for trying to kill us all later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi’s jaw drops then he slams it shut, eyes narrowed. “Is this bastard still alive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Yusaku takes Ai’s hand. “He was terminally ill by the time I found him and his son. He died on his hospital bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Mieko reaches out and takes Keishi’s hand. “I hope he’s rotting in Hell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he is, Mieko.” Keishi squeezes her hand back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku feels his shoulders relax a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko turns her eyes back to him. “So what else happened while you were in Den City?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku takes off his backpack and starts rummaging through it, until he finds the photo frame. “I made some friends. They were all affected by the Lost Incident, one way or another and we connected through our experiences.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the photo frame, Yusaku is in the middle, with Ai hugging him tightly around his back. Takeru is at his side holding a peace sign while Shoichi drags Ryoken into the shot, keeping a hand on his shoulder to keep him standing there. Aoi is on Yusaku’s other side offering a small, awkward smile for the camera. Akira was the one who took that photo for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Takeru was a victim of the Lost Incident like me. Aoi’s best friend suffered from the Incident. Kusanagi’s younger brother was in a hospital for most of his life because of it. Ryoken is Dr. Kogami’s son and the one who blew the whistle on the Lost Incident.” Yusaku points to each person as he names them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother has tears in the corners of her eyes as she reaches out and Yusaku gives her the photo. She actually starts to cry while looking at it, while Keishi holds her close and tears up a little himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look so happy.” Mieko lifts her head and smiles at him, eyes closed. “I’m glad you found some friends, Yusaku.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku lowers his head. “I lost many too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t protect Flame. Or Aqua. Perhaps if he’d been able to save them, Ai wouldn’t have fallen prey to Lightening’s simulations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yusaku?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifts his head to see Ai look down at him with a soft, sad expression. He reaches out a hand and brushes it through Yusaku’s fringe, putting his hair out of his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault.” Ai holds his hand tightly, then turns to Keishi and Mieko. “Not long after Dr. Kogami died, I found out my Ignis siblings were at odds with each other. Some of us wanted to live in peace with humanity. Others wanted to subjugate and destroy humanity because of Dr. Kogami’s attack. Others were undecided. There was a war and I was the only one left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ai.” Yusaku feels his heart snap and he holds Ai’s hand tighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi stares at him, then sighs. “I’m sorry you lost your family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai perks up and gives an obviously fake laugh. “It’s fine-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s clearly not.” Mieko stands up suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai, for once in his life, is speechless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko opens her arms. “I’m sure it’s too late and I know it doesn’t fix everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai tears up. He slowly rises out of his seat to walk over to her, his hand shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” Ai gulps. “I’m not used to this at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko smiles and gently takes his hands. “Don’t worry. Becoming a good hugger takes practise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She guides his arms around her waist and she hugs him tightly around his back, holding him close to her, even though Ai’s at least a head taller than Mieko. He trembles and starts to shake, then tears start slipping down his face. Keishi gets up and joins the hug as well, then Yusaku does that too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai sobs and shakes. “Lightening messed with Windy’s programming, he used to be okay until he did that, he-” He sobs. “I can’t even hate any of them even though they did such horrible things! Flame got eaten from the inside by Windy, Aqua was destroyed, SOL tore Earth apart bite by bite just because they wanted his data for their damn proffits!” Ai stiffens. “If I wasn’t so stupid and selfish, maybe Roboppi would still be here, he’s gone too because of me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku holds his family and cries with them for a long time, letting Ai have the chance to let it all out for the first time since it happened. Yusaku’s certain Ai never took the time to properly grieve because he was too busy planning how to off himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They could have stood there for 5 minutes or 5 hours and Yusaku wouldn’t have known. But eventually Ai pulls back and rubs at his face, sniffling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” He begins to bow to Mieko. “For everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko smiles and puts her hand on his shoulder. “Ai, it’s alright. You don’t have to bow to your family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai blinks, standing up to look at her. “Family?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko nods. “I know we just met. But you’re important to my son, so you’re important to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi moves forward and offers Ai his hand. “You’re a part of the family now, Ai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku feels his heart thump into his chest as he looks from his parents, then to Ai, who’s got his hands over his mouth as he starts crying again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku smiles at his parents and mouths a small ‘thank you’, tilting his head down. Mieko smiles at him, then pulls Ai into another hug, with Keishi dragging Yusaku into it as well. Yusaku knows they don’t spend as so long hugging this time because none of the Fujikis can stand too much affection at once or they become emotionally constipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai included, since he’s the first one to pull back. “Well, since I’m finally getting to know my mother and father in law, I may as well do that and start with the simple things. Like how’d you meet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi blinks and starts laughing nervously. “Well…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was 15 and on the streets. I ran away from my parents, who were from a rich family and hated me.” Mieko begins. “I used to sleep in locked public bathrooms and night buses when it was only me and the driver. Never stay anywhere too long, unless my parents found me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku swallows and goes back to take a seat. He remembers having to do the same things when he was younger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi takes a seat. “I was 17 when I told my parents I was bi and they didn’t like that very much, so I ended up wandering around the back alleys and dirty streets for a year before I met your mother. I was pretty well known as someone you don’t mess with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai gasps dramatically. “Were you some kind of street brawler?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not intentionally.” Keishi shrugs. “I used to box before my parents kicked me out. Came in handy when dealing with guys twice my size and age trying to steal my sleeping bag.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku blinks. He’d always taken his father for the silent but strong type. He’d never heard of his father being in any fights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not so handy on the day we met though.” Mieko narrows her eyes at him. “Because I remember you having some serious stomach wounds when I pulled you out of that alley before you got your ass handed to you by whatever punks you’d pissed off that night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi huffs and crosses his arms. “Well in my defence, I was minding my own business and they threw the first punch. It was self defence after that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko flicks him on the forehead. “I still have to use the few bandages I’d saved to stop you from bleeding out on the rooftop of a McDonald’s.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai snorts and crosses his legs. “I see you two had plenty of chemistry from the first meeting. Did you carry on a whirl-wind romance from the start, with back alley kisses in the rain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku groans and elbows Ai. “My parents aren’t one of your dull soap operas, Ai!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow!” Ai whimpers and hugs his side. “You wound me, Yusaku!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko giggles and hums. “It wasn’t an immediate connection. I just saved him because I could tell he was hurt but tough and figured having someone like that owe me would help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t have needed to. If I’d seen you in trouble, I probably would have saved you anyway because I’m reckless like that.” Keishi smiles at her, bringing her hand to his lips. “Best mistake of my life, if I do say so myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko flushes and huffs, looking to the side. But she has a small smile on her face and Yusaku’s heart pulses and he smiles a little too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww.” Ai smiles and puts his head in his hands. “And did you stay together after you saved her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. We gave each other a fake name and walked away.” Keishi grins. “Mieko was Maker and I was Player.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku stiffens and turns to look at Ai, who turns to gape at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t seek each other out, but we kept running into each other and saved one another.” Mieko smiles fondly, looking at her lap. “I remember when I threw that tomato at the police officer who was harassing you for sleeping in doorways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi smiles at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I remember tugging you behind garbage bins and making fake sex noises to make people chasing you disappear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko laughs, Yusaku flushes and Ai gives a gasp. “Oh how scandalous!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi rolls his eyes. “I was just pretending, I didn’t even touch her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I told you about some places people kept dropping their money.” Mieko grins. “And when someone stole a hat full of coins I’d begged for, you tackled the guy and got me back what I’d gotten for singing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku blinks and a memory suddenly surfaces. Of his mother holding his hand after a nightmare and gentling singing him to sleep. Of late nights before the Lost Incident, where he’d sneak into the kitchen and see his parents dancing in the moonlight while his mother sang. Of her gentling humming whenever she was cooking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After enough of us running into each other, we just.” Keishi shrugs. “Stayed together. Held hands because it’s freezing at night. Huddle close in warehouses and shops for warmth. Working as a team to survive the streets and get what we need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko smiles and leans her head against Keishi’s shoulder. “It took a while before we told each other our real names. And then we were an inseparable team. Keishi had been on the street long enough to know the ins, outs and wheres to avoid to keep me safe. Meanwhile I was a good singer and a good hacker, so I got us some yen each day through that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember when the police would chase us out of the main square for performing illegally and people would cheer us on as we ran away?” Keishi laughs gently and kisses her forehead. “We were too good at climbing fire escapes and ducking into allies for the cops to ever keep up and then we were in the main square again. You singing and me dancing to get a little more yen each day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku suddenly feels another memory hit him, of watching his father dancing whenever he thought no one was looking. Then his mother would catch him and start singing something and he’d change his moves to suit what she’d started singing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One night, after a long time of getting to know each other and nearly losing each other a few times…” Mieko looks up at Keishi. “You told me you were scared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keishi smiles at her, reaching out to pull the pin from her hair, letting her bun fall out. “And you said you were too. But we’d made it this far together.” His grin widens. “And I kissed you because I had hope for the future for the first time in years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko’s eyes get a bit misty and she closes them, leaning up to him. Keishi leans down to her and kisses her, gently holding her cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku suddenly flushes, feeling as if he’s watching something far too private for him and looks away. He’d never known that much about their past together and he can see why they didn’t tell him before. It must have been painful to relieve the memories that made them homeless in the first place and they wouldn’t want him to run away, inspired by their history.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he did it anyway, like an idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku turns to Ai, who looks almost ready to combust. He’s holding his hands over his mouth and there’s a faint squeal building in the back of his throat, but it appears he’s lowered his volume in order to ensure he doesn’t ruin the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku rolls his eyes and smiles, shaking his head. That’s just like Ai.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko and Keishi pull apart and link their arms together, resting their heads against each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems hope was enough to give us a miracle right out of a movie. We found a lottery ticket, punched in the numbers and won.” Mieko smiles. “No hacking on my end needed, just dumb luck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku blinks, letting out a small gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We bought our own apartment, cleaned up, slept safe and relaxed there for 5 incredible years. We could have lived there without working for 10, but we weren’t slouches.” Keishi smiles. “Your mother got a programming job immediately and I became a bouncer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we got tired of city life and haunted streets, so we moved to a rural little town.” Mieko looks over in the corner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where a photo hangs on the wall. His parents’ wedding photo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko is wearing a simple white dress, nothing Yusaku would have imagined at a wedding though. It’s knee-length in the front and reaches her ankles in the back, with long white sleeves with some beautiful flowers stitched all over the dress, most notably a wisteria over her heart. Keishi is wearing black boots, jeans and a black leather jacket, looking more like he’s about to join a motorcycle gang than get married. But he has a wisteria stitched in his breast pocket and the photo has them standing under a wisteria tree with a library behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We fused our old names into Fujiki and got married in this tiny town, in this tiny library, where we left our old lives behind.” Mieko smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was some of the happiest years of my life, getting to spend them with you.” Keishi smiles at her, then he turns to Yusaku. “Then, after six years of marriage, we decided we wanted kids. It took a while and we kept trying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko turns to Yusaku and smiles. “Until finally, on May the 11th, we had you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku sucks in a breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, four years later, we had the surprise of learning we had a son and not a daughter, like the doctors told us.” Keishi smiles. “And I wouldn’t want you any other way, Yusaku.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku feels tears prick at his eyes but he smiles through them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ai giggles. “You sure got lucky with parents like this, huh, Yusaku?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku smiles and dries his eyes. “Yeah.” He walks over to his parents. “I’m sorry for making you both worry all this time.” He opens his arms. “Can I start to make up for our lost time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko and Keishi get to their feet and hug Yusaku tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love that, son.” Keishi murmurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mieko smiles. “We can start by getting to meet your other friends and getting to know Ai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yusaku smiles and looks over at Ai, who’s got tears in his eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think they’d love to meet you.”</span>
</p>
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